Born in Chicago, Illinois, she began performing in vaudeville as a child. "Starlight (Help Me Find The One I Love)" (1931), her first published song, was recorded by Bing Crosby.[1] She also wrote radio themes for CBS. Other notable songs include "Lullaby of the Leaves", "The Lady I Love", "Close Your Eyes" (1933), "My River Home", "By a Rippling Stream", "Stay Out of My Dreams", "A Mile a Minute" and "It's All So New to Me", which was featured in the Joan Crawford film The Ice Follies of 1939 (MGM, 1939).